42 comments:

OT - Does anyone know when the holiday merchandise will launch online/stores? I've already seen Gap's; a little foldout flyer I received in the mail. And....everyone is setting up their holiday merchandise already (Target)!

Thanks Stylemaven! I wish JCrew will roll out their holiday merch a week before that. Considering how slow their free shipping is, some people might want to bring their gifts with them when traveling during Thanksgiving.

I'm a fan of the Factory Geometric Fair Isle sweater. I really liked the colors and pattern in the retail version last year, but the design was just too much. The Factory version has plain sleeves, which I like better. It's soft and TTS...would definitely recommend.

I purchased a few items in the last rollout - the double serge wool culottes in grey, collection wide leg trousers (on sale) and the violet poppy and clover print blouses.

I'm a size 12/14 on bottom and these culottes were a total disaster on me. They are a beautiful, heavy weight wool pant, seemingly the same double serge as the skirts, LINED, and I would have loved to try these in a full length wide leg pant. I think if I'm going to attempt this look at all, I need a longer inseam...these are 21" and my legs looked like fat sausages in them...they were just not flattering at all. I'm 5'8" with a 31" inseam. My guess is you need to be thin and petite, or thin and tall, not tall and curvy. Even with four inch stilettos and a loose top I felt huge. I'm trying a few pairs of Banana Republic 24" inch culottes to see if I can try and pull these off - they might be a lost cause for my figure. The other 24" wool ones I want to try from Crew are backordered until February.

As for the collection trousers B0937 - while polyester and not lined, I loved the drape of these full length pants and they are a keeper for me. I took the smaller of my two sizes in them and with 3.5" heels they hit the top of my foot. I now am on a renewed quest for more full length trousers.

The blouses...I'm on the fence. I don't absolutely love either print, I wish the violet poppy print was in a more feminine looking blouse, I'm not a huge fan of the collarless button down. And the clover print, while different, the fact that I'm still debating means that I'm probably holding on to see how quick they'll hit sale.

Anne - did you find the culottes fit at the hip like the description online suggests? I ordered them and found the waist to be quite tapered and they did not fit at the hips as a result. In fact, I found they sat most comfortably on my natural waist. I would probably have to go up at least a size for them to sit at the hips.

@Violet, the pair I tried definitely fit at my natural waist and I would agree with you that the waist was more tapered. Due to the wider leg I tried the smaller of my two pants sizes and I couldn't even bring myself to order a size up even to have them fit lower...I'm still blocking the image of how my legs looked in those pants out of my head...haha.

Merino Sweater Dress (E6131): Love it, just wish it was lined. For this price I think JC could've at least lined it. Despite that it fits beautifully -- it's not thin or flimsy at all, and Academic Green is a really stunning color. I'm 32-24-33 and bought XS. Probably could've gone down to XXS, but a CSA said the XXS bust measurement was 31". I'm 5'3" and it is long, but surprisingly doesn't overwhelm my frame. This might not fit bustier ladies so well, since there isn't a whole lot of stretch to the fabric.

My only concern is that it is indeed low-cut. I don't get any cleavage from wearing this, but I'm still on the fence about whether it is appropriate for the office or not. So in terms of styling and where to wear it, I'm a little lost, and for that alone I might return it. :(

Also, can anyone compare "dark poppy" with "belvedere red"? I'm more wondering which is a truer red or a blue-based red. There's a lot of stuff in both colors with this roll-out.

Hi there - I have a lot of problems with vnecks because I'm short and they are always a smidge too low for the office. My solution is Uniqlo Airism camis. I got a bunch of them on sale for 3.90 at the end of the summer. They are super thin and lightweight and add no bulk.

I ordered the campbell trouser. So glad to see full length pants. Will review them once I receive them.

@Flower Power - I tried the wool Campbell trousers a few months ago - huge love. I have and really like the cotton ones. I had tried the Preston and Campbell trousers in wool - liked both, the Preston is a little higher waist which is what I decided to go for but I will definitely be adding a pair of the Campbell's to my closet, they sit on your low natural waist while still having a good rise. I hope they work out for you!

And thank you as well Flower Power, I've been considering layering a shirt under it, but I hope it doesn't ruin the look of the dress. I only have white camis for layering, which I think might be too much contrast, so I'll take a look for a different color.

Dulci kitten heels- does anyone else have dulci suede heels that squeak? I received another pair which fit better but they really squeak from the toe box or sole area (not the heel I don't think). They are final sale and I love the color so I want them to work. Thank you

I haven't had that happen with the Dulce heels, but I have had this happen with another pair of shoes (not J.crew). In that circumstance I finally realized that it was actually the the top of my largest toe rubbing against the inside of the top of the shoe because I had polish on...I could not actually feel that friction, (so it took a bit to figure out the squeaking noise) but it was rubbing. So I guess it was a combination of my toe nail rubbing with the particular material of the shoe that helped make that squeaking noise with the friction. Another source of squeaking (from a different area)can be when shoes have been worn a lot or are flawed, the "last" can break, but I doubt that is the case here. Last damage noise would more be coming from the arch area.

I am considering a pair also! Did you find that they run TTS? The reviews say size down to avoid heel flopping, I typically wear a 7.5 in most brands but I have to size up to 8 with J. Crew as I find they run small, so what does this mean for me? My usual 7.5 perhaps???

Hi Roxanne, a lot of people sized down 1/2 size it seems but I did not. My usual size 9 in Jcrew shoes was needed and they're a tad long but comfy. My feet swell a bit by end of day so I think I'm fine. For me 1/2 sz down was too tight across the toes I do have a little bit of a wide foot. My advice is to call and ask them to waive final sale so you can try them or go to a store. honestly two pairs in the same size can fit differently so I wouldn't buy final sale if you never tried them. HTH

Leopard Tippi (E4859) - So I received it in the mail and...I didn't like it after all. I didn't want the sweater skin tight on me, so I usually opt to wear size S. Fits fine. Up close i didn't like the print of the leopard as much. I even thought of a perfect outfit for it, after trying it on, it just didn't feel right. So back it goes to the mothership.

I prefer to wear a nice printed leopard jacket or coat instead. The search continues...

Hi ladies! I stopped by my B&M today and tried a bunch of coats (they had gotten a few as returns). Hope this may help somebody. I tried all in my usual size 4.

Double-cloth belted trench coat (e4733) - The heather cloud was true to the website image (grey with a teeny bit of lavender in there somewhere). I was surprised at how much I liked the shape, even though it has those inward-facing buttons that are a little fussy. The belt loops in the back have little buttons on them to keep the belt secure. The belt is very long; I assume it’s meant to tie like the model pic and not to fasten through the buckle. The 4 felt a little generous but not enough to size down - it would be fine over a thicker winter sweater. The first button doesn’t hit until the stomach, so if you’re looking for protection against the elements, you’d definitely need a scarf. As cute as it was, it did not feel warm at all, and there was already a little snag in the double-cloth. In upstate NY I could see wearing this in the fall and the spring, but not the dead of winter.

Wool melton toggle coat (c8555) - Here we go with the sizing inconsistencies: in this one, the 4 just fit, but if I wanted to wear it over anything thicker than a Tippi, I’d have to size up. The shape was very cute. I tried the pink, which was a little too bubblegum pink for my liking. Again, not very warm in comparison to some of the older stadium cloth and/or Thinsulate-lined JC ones I own.

Chateau parka in stadium cloth (b3901) - I really liked the A-line shape on this one, but I’m a sucker for anything swingy. Would not size down because then the shoulders would be too tight, but the 4 would be fine for layering over something heavy. I am not a fan of the fur lining on the hood personally - I felt like I was being attacked by a woodland creature! ; ) Probably the warmest of the bunch that I tried so far.

Stadium-cloth cocoon coat (b2770) - I’m conflicted with this coat. Size 4 fit fine on me, I didn’t find it to run large like many of the online reviews did. I think that on me, it didn’t look great when it was zipped up all the way, but I wouldn’t realistically wear a coat open all winter. Felt the same weight as the chateau parka.

Wintress puffer coat with faux-fur hood (e3889) - Okay JCA’s, I took one for the team and took a long inhale on this coat and I’m pleased to report that I did not detect any wet dog smell! The S fit fine with room to layer. Again, I didn’t care for the faux-fur on the hood and am glad it’s removable. I liked the fleece-lined pockets, but they were a little strange - my instinct was to put them in slit pockets at the bottom, but those are only patch pockets. The slit pockets are at chest level. Also, I loved the cuffs with thumb holes, but they were too short for me (I have long arms). I’m tempted to try a Tall size for longer sleeve length, but I think that the whole thing may be too long.

There you have it. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this batch, but I’m really not in the market for any coats and find the prices to be high (even with 25%). I may keep an eye on the end-of-season sales.

Thanks for the great coat reviews! The only thing stopping me on the Chateau parka was the fur. It was a bit too much on me. Such pretty colors this year, though. I still wouldn't rule it out, but I won't be buying it any time soon.

Did you happen to see or try on the Cocoon coat in boucle? I was interested in it, but not interested enough to order it. I bought two coats for this winter and that is more than enough (the short quilted puffer with faux fur and a Boden coat).

Great review, @silver_lining! I'm with you on the coat offering this year. I like the Chateau parka in stadium cloth the best, which I owned from last season. Agree that the prices are high even with the sweeping 25% off promo lately.

Adding to the coat review -- Double-Cloth Lady Day coats with Thinsulate (52606)

I ordered the lady day coat in regular 00 and petite 2. I agree with most of the reviews that this coat runs at least one size small and the regular size coat flares out too much. I tried the bright purple in petite 2 which is a very beautiful color. The sleeves are tad short for my liking but considering the overall length and shape, I'd suggest short ladies to stay in petite sizes. I also ordered bright cerise (orangey red) and retro-pink, but these two are backordered. So will need to wait to decide which color to keep.

Hi cate - I think that the fur on the Chateau is also detachable, but then what would I do with it, you know? (Besides live in fear of it coming out of my closet in the middle of the night!)

I didn't see the boucle cocoon coat - my store tends to get more of the basics than the special pieces so I'll be surprised if I see it. I know what you mean about being interested but not enough to order it. I've got a lot of coats that I like and to bring one in, I'd have to get rid of one and I'm not willing to do it. The only one that I'd make room for is the windowpane boulevard trench from a few years back - still kicking myself on that one!

@Elaine Chao - what did you think of the fabric on the Lady Day coat? I tried it on in the store, in an effort to better assess the fit and I was unpleasantly surprised by the feel of the exterior -- it felt rough and scratchy to me, not smooth like their woolen coats. Bit disappointed.

@silver_lining, thanks for all the great reviews! My old coat is 7 years old and I'm in the market for a new one, but worried about fit & fabric. Will check out the Chateau Parka.

@TM93 If you compare the Lady Day Coat to Chateau Parka or Majesty Peacoat (even though all three are labeled Double-Cloth material), I agree that the Lady Day Coat fabric is rough and scratchy, definitely not smooth. I think the Lady Day coat is a medium-warm coat and I already had warms coats like Chateau Parka or Majesty Peacoat, so I'm OK with that fabric.

Appreciate the input, Elaine, thank you!! Helpful re) warmness factor on the Lady Day, that will help me better decide what might work best. Let us know which color you end up keeping! They both seem gorgeous.

Thank you for the great reviews, ladies! I've been thinking of getting a new coat, this is so helpful. @silverl_lining - you made me laugh out loud re: your closet comment. :) I'm not a fan of fur trim either.

Dear J.Crew Aficionadas & Aficionados: Please feel free (and encouraged) to share your thoughts and opinions. :) However, please note that this is still a personal blog. So comments that are considered inappropriate (e.g. obscene, racist, homophobic, personal attacks, rude, and just plain mean) will be removed.

Incidentals

The following blog is just a forum for people to express their thoughts and opinions about J.Crew. Also, please note that most (if not all) of the images come from J.Crew's website and/ or catalog. Lastly, J.Crew is *not* affiliated with this site. :)